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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26208295">Triament</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/salup/pseuds/salup'>salup</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Triament</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Fantasy, OC Story, OC plot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 08:20:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,839</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26208295</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/salup/pseuds/salup</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jonda Waters has lost her powers, and now she's off to get them back.  With the help of her wife, Bai Makea, and her best friend and guide, Aki Bacca, what could go wrong?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>JonBai</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter One - Is This Loss?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jonda's eyes slowly opened.</p>
<p>It was morning, and she was awakened by her wife, Bai, rolling over and removing her arm from around her.</p>
<p>She slid off the bed, careful not to wake Bai, and picked out and outfit for the day. She was excited; today she was going to see her best friend, Aki, and they hadn't talked in a long time.</p>
<p>She changed out of her pajamas and into her day clothes. She brushed her brunette and blue hair and tyed it up into a ponytail with her favorite white bow. She put on some blue lipstick and her eyeliner and decided that it was good enough for the day. She went back into her room and leaned down to her wife's side. </p>
<p>She poked Bai in the face. "Hey," she said as loudly as she felt comfortable at the moment. "Wake up."</p>
<p>Bai rolled over, obviously awake now. "Mm... I'll get up in a minute."</p>
<p>Jonda sat next to her on the bed. "No, you need to get up now." She could be pushy.</p>
<p>Bai sighed and sat up groggily. "Good morning, dear," she said.</p>
<p>"Hurry up, we're going to Aki's today, remember?"</p>
<p>"Yes, dear, I remember."</p>
<p>"And remember that you take foreverrr to get ready?" Jonda stuck out her lower lip.</p>
<p>"I do not!" Bai giggled.</p>
<p>"Yes you do!" </p>
<p>"No!"</p>
<p>Bai slid out of her bed and changed right in front of her. "See? I can get ready really fast!"</p>
<p>"You just changed clothes."</p>
<p>She got off the bed and stood beside Bai, then began running her fingers through her hair. "You need to brush your hair. I don't know how it gets like that when you're asleep."</p>
<p>Bai giggled again, but didn't respond. She went off to the bathroom.</p>
<p>Jonda sighed in contempt and went to the kitchen. She turned on the faucet and took out a glass, and she used her powers to put water in it. She was in the middle of drinking it when Bai came in.</p>
<p>"I only took 3 minutes! See?" She put her hands on her hips. She wasn't usually this confident, but with Jonda she was. </p>
<p>"Oh, sure." </p>
<p>"Heyy!" </p>
<p>Jonda started towards the door. "We don't have time to waste!" she said as brightly as her voice could. Her voice had a quality to it that made her sound bored or annoyed all the time.</p>
<p>"We'll be early, yeah? Aki said around 11AM and it's only 10."</p>
<p>"She won't mind! Let's go!"</p>
<p>Bai sighed and followed Jonda out the door. At first, the path to the locorite wasn't crowded, because they lived in a pretty secluded forest, but the closer inwards they got, the more people they saw. A Latina girl holding hands with a girl that had her hair dyed blonde at the ends. An albino girl with a blonde girl, both in hoodies. A boy with bandages covering one eye with a blondish girl.</p>
<p>Then they saw the cylindrical locorite. It was 5 hyperment to use it, which was expensive for a locorite, but this one wasn't used that much.</p>
<p>Jonda put in the money and they requested Aki's address. They held hands and suddenly appeared (with a slight dash of blue and green glitter) in front of Aki's house. She lived in a sort of suburb, but her house stood out because she had painted it lemon yellow.</p>
<p>Jonda threw the door open, entirely uninvited, and said, "Hey Aki! We're here!" Bai stood behind her in embarrassment. </p>
<p>Aki jumped. She tossed her dark curls over her shoulder. "Hey, girls!" she said. "You two are early!"</p>
<p>"I was... err..." Jonda had forgotten the word.</p>
<p>"She was excited!" Bai said.</p>
<p>"Oh yeah!" Jonda snapped her fingers. "I was excited."</p>
<p>"I don't see why, but okay." Aki picked up a wooden spoon. "I was going to make brownies before you arrived, but seeing as you're already here, I guess I won't."</p>
<p>"I can help, if you'd like?" Bai suggested. Aki's calico cat, Raspberry, rubbed against her legs as she said that.</p>
<p>"What about me?" Jonda said.</p>
<p>"Don't worry, I won't poison you."</p>
<p>"That's not what I meant. What am I supposed to do?"</p>
<p>"Bai, you can help if you'd like," Aki said, "And Jonda... shut up."</p>
<p>Bai let out a snicker and Jonda huffed in annoyance.</p>
<p>As Bai climbed on the counter to reach some utensils, she called out, "You can watch, you know."</p>
<p>"Oh yeah..." Jonda said from the living room, where she was scratching Raspberry's head.</p>
<p>She went to the kitchen and propped herself on the counter and got the bowl Bai needed. </p>
<p>They talked and joked for the rest of the day, overall having a good time catching up, eating their brownies, and fawning over Raspberry.</p>
<p>-+-</p>
<p>Jonda stumbled out of the locorite. She was in a sort of tired-drunken state of mind where everything was woozy and she could barely keep her footing. Bai was trying her best to support Jonda, but due to her smaller stature, she was having a hard time.</p>
<p>"Oh loook... there's our hoooouuse...!!" Jonda giggled.</p>
<p>"Are you alright, dear? You're acting really odd." Bai tried to not let the concern drip into her voice, but she failed. </p>
<p>"I'm fiiiiine!" She laughed after that sentence, too.</p>
<p>She threw her arms off Bai and stumbled up to her door, which she threw open. She noticed a glass on the kitchen table and came to the realization that she was thirsty. </p>
<p>She tried using her powers to lift up a bit of water to put into her mouth, but nothing happened. She laughed it off, it must be a mistake, she was feeling so happy right now--</p>
<p>Nothing.</p>
<p>She felt fear creep into her mind. They should be working. They should be working they should be working</p>
<p>"Babyyyyyyy!" her drunken state was erased and replaced with a fearful state that she was trying not to hide with anger.</p>
<p>Bai appeared in the doorway. Moonlight danced in her eyes. "Are you okay?"</p>
<p>Jonda shook her head. Tears stung her eyes. "My powers aren't working."</p>
<p>"Well... you seem distraught. They aren't going to work when you're like this."</p>
<p>Jonda fought off her reflex to fight against Bai's claim.</p>
<p>"You're probably right..."</p>
<p>"Come on, let's go to bed."</p>
<p>Jonda glanced out the window. A spark flew in front of it and she gasped in surprise. </p>
<p>She was delirious. She was imagining it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter Two - Maybe?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>What's the diagnosis, Aki?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Aki rummaged through her bookshelf. "You're sure they're gone?" She turned to Jonda for confirmation. </p>
<p>"Yes, they're gone. I felt really good this morning and they were just gone. AND the locorite didn't work for me."</p>
<p>Aki found a book with a mumbled "a-ha!" </p>
<p>She turned back to Jonda. "If they are gone-- which we shouldn't be jumping to conclusions quite yet-- then they were switched off. There's no way they're messed, so that's got to be it."</p>
<p>Bai looked at Jonda. "What does that mean?" </p>
<p>"It means someone, somehow, went to Panment--"</p>
<p>"What's Panment?"</p>
<p>Aki sighed in frustration. "Did you pay attention during history?"</p>
<p>"I failed history. Sorry," Bai said quietly. </p>
<p>"Oh! I didn't mean to-- anyway." She coughed. "'Panment is a temple located near the gulf of the same name. It had the power to turn on and off people's powers, but it's heavily fortified and it's nearly impossible to get into.' That's what probably happened to Jonda."</p>
<p>"But you just said that it was nearly impossible to get in!" said Jonda. "How would anyone get in? And why would they choose me and not anyone else?"</p>
<p>Aki shrugged. "There's no other explanation."</p>
<p>Raspberry hopped onto Jonda's lap and she pet him. She smiled a bit at him.</p>
<p>"How are we going to get my powers back?" Jonda asked.</p>
<p>"Is that what we're doing? I'm wildly misinformed here," Aki said.</p>
<p>"Yeah? I need to get them back," her voice cracked. </p>
<p>As soon as her voice broke, Aki and Bai looked panicked. Jonda never cried. She was tougher than nails due to her school life of relentless bullying, and she never let herself cry.</p>
<p>She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Some of Raspberry's fur was stuck to her sweaty palms and it rubbed on her face. Bai wiped it off for her.</p>
<p>"We'll get them back, dear," she said. "We will find a way."</p>
<p>Aki ran through the options in her head.</p>
<p>"I've been to Panment with my brother-ish and my dad. I was really little, like 10. I didn't go in, I just admired it from afar. I remember there being a ditch."</p>
<p>"That should be easy to get across." Jonda looked confident. </p>
<p>"It was really really far across."</p>
<p>Jonda looked defeated. Bai squeezed her hand. "We'll find a way, dear," she whispered.</p>
<p>Aki sighed. "Looks like there's no convincing you two," she said. "Go pack your things and meet me near Cassie's at 4."</p>
<p>-+- </p>
<p>As they were walking to Cassie's with backpacks on their backs (and a pink flower crown on Bai's head "for emotional support," as she put it), Bai sucked in a breath and said, "If it doesn't work out, you know it will be okay. I'll help you work everything out as best I can. And I think Aki would too."</p>
<p>Jonda laughed. "It will work out, silly."</p>
<p>Bai looked away from her. She didn't want to argue. She just had to keep her hopes up.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter Three - Eira</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>They're off to find Panment!  But will the journey be as easy as they had planned?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So we have to cross a river right here, and the notes from 10 years ago said that the bridge is rickety so I don't know if it's safe at the moment." </p><p>Aki was tracing the path that she had drawn on the map. They were going to take that path.</p><p>Jonda nodded and hoisted her bag over her shoulder. "How long will this take?"</p><p>"We should get there by sundown tomorrow if we keep a steady pace."</p><p>"Tomorrow?!" She looked physically pained saying that.</p><p>"It's the soonest possible. If we can even get across."</p><p>She gestured for them to enter the trail that they were going to take for the first stretch of the way. "Let's go."</p><p>Jonda wanted to go first but Aki stopped her. "I have to lead, I have the map, remember?"</p><p>Jonda grumbled then saw Bai. She instantly turned her mood around. She took her hand in Bai's and they walked behind Aki.</p><p>After a few hours it was too dark for them to go any farther so Aki made herself mad for a moment so she could use her electric powers to light a fire.</p><p>"Hey Jonda..." Aki brought herself to say something. </p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>"Your plan is really flimsy."</p><p>"It will work."</p><p>"Stop being so confident in it. This is the real world."</p><p>Jonda looked angered by her statement. "Oh yeah?"</p><p>"Yeah. I wish you'd stop being so selfish."</p><p>"Why are you saying this?" Bai peeped.</p><p>"Because she needs to hear it. And I've known her longer than you have."</p><p>Bai began to cry. </p><p>"HEY!" Jonda yelled this. She started towards Aki with her hand raised as if she was going to slap her before quickly turning away and running to her tent.</p><p>Aki looked ashamed after 5 seconds. "I didn't mean it, I think it was just the aftershock of my powers or something, oh no, oh no..."</p><p>Bai was still sobbing. </p><p>Aki waited until Bai had finished before she said, "I think Jonda is being a little selfish."</p><p>"We are all selfish." </p><p>"What?"</p><p>"You're being selfish telling her all of that and making her mad. You're being selfish telling me that you've known her longer. I'm being selfish telling you this!" She wiped her eyes as she began to cry again.</p><p>"I-I'm sorry, Bai..."</p><p>She fell silent. </p><p>They sat there until the fire died. Then Bai went to her and Jonda's shared tent and Aki went to her own. </p><p>Aki lay there, thinking about her actions. Why had she done that? Bai was right, she was selfish, and there was no denying that. But so was Jonda. </p><p>She heard a twig snap outside. She gasped and sat up. She crawled to the fold in the tent and peeked outside. She couldn't see anything.</p><p>Whatever, it was probably a bear.</p><p>-+-</p><p>Jonda hoisted her bag over her shoulder and smiled. Today was the day! </p><p>Bai linked her arm in Jonda's and Aki took the lead as they silently hiked to their destination. </p><p>After an hour or so Jonda stopped them. "Do you hear that?" she whispered.</p><p>"Hear what?" Bai sounded panicked.</p><p>"I think it's a river or something," Jonda said. </p><p>"That sounds about right because we're at the river right now." Aki sounded bored. "We have to go off path right now, but I think there was a bridge there. We have to cross it one at a time, though, the notes say it's rickety--"</p><p>"You already said that." </p><p>Bai looked at Jonda, then at Aki. Her sky blue eyes were wide with mild anxiety.</p><p>"I know, I was reminding you because you tend to go ahead without hearing what I have to say." Aki glanced at the map. She brushed back some undergrowth. "See, here's the bridge. <em>One at a time</em>, remember."</p><p>Jonda huffed in anger. Aki went across first. Then Bai.</p><p>When Jonda stepped up to it, she looked down at the deep water. Big mistake. She felt her palms sweating as the grasped the shaky railings. She took one step. Then another. Then another, until she hit the middle.</p><p>When she made it to the middle, she heard a cracking noise. "What's thaAAA--"</p><p>She fell through the bottom and hit the deep, rocky water with a splash.</p><p>"JONDA!" Bai screamed, tossing her shoes off and running into the water.</p><p>It was oddly calm down there. She touched the bottom and didn't attempt to kick up yet, she just felt her hair swirl around and let herself float.</p><p>Then something grabbed her arm. Who, what, why--</p><p>"Jonda!" It was Bai. They were in the shallow area of the river. "You scared me so much please don't do that again please don't ever do that again--"</p><p>Jonda silenced her with a quick kiss. "I'm okay, Bai, I can swim really well, remember?"</p><p>Bai looked right into Jonda's eyes. "I know, but you fell, you could've died..."</p><p>She paused, then she leaned in and kissed her. "Let's go, now, we're losing daylight."</p><p>Jonda nodded and ran her hand through her dripping wet hair. "Oh--" Her hair hand come out of its ponytail. She looked over into the water and saw her ribbon floating in the water. She swam over to it and snatched it out and tied it around her wrist.</p><p>"Okay, now let's go."</p><p>They set off again, but were almost immediately stopped by someone. It was a girl, she looked to be about 24. "Excuse me, are you Jonda Waters?" she asked Jonda.</p><p>"Yes?" </p><p>"Oh," said the girl. "I'm Eira. Eira Mizuno! And I was told to look for you."</p><p>"Look for me? For what?"</p><p>"To tell you that it's a bad idea to go to Panment."</p><p>Jonda narrowed her eyes. "Why are you telling me this?"</p><p>"Because... because..." </p><p>Eira looked like she was at a loss for words.</p><p>"Did you do this to me?" Jonda raised her voice. </p><p>Eira looked relieved when Jonda said that. "Yes, that's it, I did it."</p><p>Jonda balled her hands into fists. "You-- you little--"</p><p>She started marching towards Eira. Aki dropped her map and ran to hold her back and Eira made an ice wall in front of her. Apparently Eira had ice negative. Good to know.</p><p>Jonda stuggled against Aki's hold. "Let me at her. Now." </p><p>Bai felt tears spring to her eyes again. "No, Jonda, please just calm down--" </p><p>"I AM calmed down! You need to see that this girl has caused far too much bad for her to be good."</p><p>Eira was shaking. "I was told to!" she cried.</p><p>"What? What kind of excuse is that? You could've refused!"</p><p>"H-He threatened me!"</p><p>That was an obvious lie. Her face said it all.</p><p>"You're lying." </p><p>Aki covered Jonda's mouth with her hand. Eira, we're going anyway. Could you take us?"</p><p>"It's really d-dangerous,, are you sure?"</p><p>"Yes. And please, calm down. She can't do much without her powers."</p><p>Eira looked at Jonda's muscles. "Are you sure?"</p><p>"Yes, we're sure." </p><p>Aki removed her orange coat and tied Jonda's hands behind her back. "Don't hurt her. She's a better guide than me."</p><p>Eira led the way, constantly on high alert, and Bai pointed out flowers in hopes of cheering Jonda up. Jonda remained very, very angry.</p><p>It took a long time with Jonda's reluctant trudge and Aki constantly checking to see if Jonda was still restrained.</p><p>Finally, Eira took a huge breath in.</p><p>She pulled back some brush and revealed it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter Four - Pulled Back</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's safe to cross, right?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Panment was underwhelming. It looked like a rock with a door on it. It was surrounded by a perfectly circular patch of fresh dirt.</p>
<p>Eira gave a small smile. "This is it." </p>
<p>Aki blinked. "That's all?" she looked around. "Where's the ditch?"</p>
<p>"I turned on the crossing so I could get across."</p>
<p>Eira tugged at her sweater. "I really don't want to stay, I have to go home to my friends," she said.</p>
<p>Jonda nodded. "Go," she said, hate filled in her tone. </p>
<p>Eira squeaked and took off. "She's scared of me?" Jonda laughed, untying her hands from Aki's coat. "What an idiot."</p>
<p>"Jonda, she helped us, you should really be more nice to her," Bai said under her breath. </p>
<p>Jonda didn't hear her. She took off to cross over, and as soon as she hit the fresher dirt, she jumped back, gasping. </p>
<p>"There's no air there!" she managed to say through her heavy breathing.</p>
<p>Aki furiously ran her eyes over her notes. "I think that's to get rid of the fire users," she said.</p>
<p>She looked up. "This shouldn't be too hard, yeah? Just hold your breath and run across."</p>
<p>Bai puffed her cheeks, then released them. "I'm not athletic like you," she said. "I won't make it."</p>
<p>Jonda looked Bai up and down and nudged her a little. "You'll go first."</p>
<p>"Did you hear what I just said?" </p>
<p>"Yes, I did. Now take a big breath of air and run as fast as you can."</p>
<p>"But-"</p>
<p>Jonda raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"</p>
<p>Bai clenched her jaw, then sucked in a huge breath of air. She started at the direct edge and sprinted across, holding her flower crown down. </p>
<p>She made it to the other side, gasping for air. "I did it!" she yelled across, proud of herself.</p>
<p>"Now you go, Aki."</p>
<p>Aki jumped a little. "I'll stay back," she said. "There's nothing on my notes about what's inside and frankly I don't want to know."</p>
<p>"I'm not going if you don't go. You're the only one with functional powers."</p>
<p>"Functional powers? You mean the ones Bai have?"</p>
<p>"I meant offensively. Like fighting. What if something is in there?"</p>
<p>Aki bit her lip. She sucked in a breath and dashed across, her long legs getting her across much quicker than Bai's could. When she made it across, Bai offered a fist bump.</p>
<p>Jonda stood on the other side, alone. She tightened her bow and cracked her knuckles, her nervous habit. She took a huge breath of air and started running across. </p>
<p>She almost made it before her leg fell through the dirt and to the abyss below.</p>
<p>She wanted to scream, but she didn't. She struggled, trying to pull her leg out, but she was losing air fast and she was going to die if she didn't get unstuck very very soon.</p>
<p>She felt a hand pull her to the other side.</p>
<p>It was Bai. Jonda was breathing heavily as she pulled Bai to her and embraced her.</p>
<p>They stood there for a while before Aki coughed.</p>
<p>"It says here that we need a rare person's touch to get in."</p>
<p>They all looked at Bai. She sighed and pressed her hand against the door. "Would it work like that...?"</p>
<p>The door slid open. A voice coming from the center of the room greeted her with "Welcome, Miss Baila Makea."</p>
<p>Bai flinched at the words. She pointed inside. "Let's go."</p>
<p>The inside was lined with buttons, all evenly spaced out. There were names on the buttons. </p>
<p>"These must be the switches..." Aki whispered. </p>
<p>There were a few levers in the middle of the room, around the pillar that supported the roof. One was labeled "Go down a tier". </p>
<p>Bai slowly moved to the lever and pulled it. The room spun, and they were in a room with more buttons. They looked like they were messily strewn through the wall. </p>
<p>Jonda scanned the levers that were still in the middle of the room (along with an additional one to lead them up). She found one labelled "Water Tier" and let herself squeal in excitement. </p>
<p>She pulled it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter Five - Edom Bacca</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She appeared in a room even more cluttered with buttons. She immediately started reading the names on them to find her own. </p><p>"Jessica Dean, Jynx Robinson, Elena Thomas... where am I?!" Jonda frantically whispered to herself.</p><p>She scanned the room before finally finding her own. "Jonda Waters," she read out loud. </p><p>She pressed the button. She felt a quick energy pass through her before she felt normal again. It must've worked.</p><p>She turned around to figure out how to get out of there. There she saw... a man?</p><p>He had black hair and green eyes, the same green as Aki's. He looked angry, but he was trying to look intimidating. He was only an inch taller than her; he didn't look intimidating at all.</p><p>"Hello, Jonda," he said. He did not sound happy. </p><p>She grumbled. "Hello, Edom," she said. </p><p>"I see you made it here."</p><p>The air suddenly felt damp. "I did," she said. </p><p>"And you're without your friends."</p><p>She glared at him, not correcting him. </p><p>"So I was right," he said after seeing her reaction. He smiled. It didn't look friendly, it looked malicious and it was clear that the intent was to scare her. </p><p>She wasn't scared. What could he do to her? Burn her with his powers? Water beats fire. </p><p>"Your powers won't come back for an hour or so."</p><p>She chewed the inside of her cheek. "And what makes you say that?"</p><p>"I'm not certain... but my little employee turned them off at around 8 two days ago. Remember when you were feeling nauseous? Dizzy? That was her doing."</p><p>"Eira."</p><p>"Yes, her. I paid her to do it."</p><p>"Paid... her?"</p><p>"She's daft but she did well. I trust she did it when I told her to."</p><p>Jonda slowly stepped towards a lever that would take her anywhere but there. As she did so, she heard small splashes every time she took a step. The floor was covered in a thin layer of water, but where did it come from?</p><p>She reached for a lever, then it dawned on her. He'd probably switch them back off if she left. </p><p>She turned to him, and he held up a hand. It was lit on fire, and he was unaffected. </p><p>He tossed it to her.</p><p>She squealed and ducked, just in time, before the fire hit the wall behind her. It didn't effect the buttons, fortunately. </p><p>"What is your DEAL?" she yelled at him as he lit another fireball.</p><p>"You are essentially useless to society, Jonda," he said. "I need to erase you so society can't be burdened by your existence."</p><p>He made it sound so logical, so simple.</p><p>"You're the same way," Jonda snapped back.</p><p>Edom's eyes went wide and he laughed.</p><p>"No, no, you see... Miss Waters, you're not giving anything. I am."</p><p>Jonda was shaken by how he addressed her. This set her off, and she lunged towards him and punched him in the face as hard as she could manage. He fell to the ground with a splash. The water level rose to ankle deep.</p><p>He stood up. His nose was pouring blood, and he was trying to stem it with his hands, but after a few moments, his hands were dripping as well. </p><p>Jonda felt the adrenaline pumping through her. She had finally stood up to him, after all this time. After the relentless physical and emotional bullying that he was the ringleader of, she had finally shown that she was more than just an empty shell of a person.</p><p>Well, she felt confident until she saw the anger in his eyes. </p><p>He reached in his pocket. "I was thinking you'd pull a trick," he said. "So I brought backup."</p><p>He pulled out a sharp, intricately crafted dagger.</p><p>She tried her best to keep her confidence showing, but it instantly evaporated. She knew fear must've flashed through her expression, because Edom laughed.</p><p>She moved to the pillar in the middle of the room and pressed her back against it. She didn't notice her eyes take on a slight tinge of blue as a small wave lapped at Edom.</p><p>He didn't notice. He marched towards her as the water rose again, now half to their knees. </p><p>She tried to dodge him, but he grabbed her by the front of her top and held her against the wall. He held the dagger to her neck, the blade dangerously close to cutting a dangerous enough place to kill her. Some of his blood smeared onto her neck.</p><p>"Any final words?" he said. </p><p>Jonda sucked in a breath. "That was stupid," she said. She kicked him in the stomach, and he fell with a loud splash. He didn't drop his knife, his grip was too tight. </p><p>Jonda stood over him, the blue in her eyes becoming more prominent, while her eyes were still brown. She propped her foot on his stomach, holding him under water. A weird current also kept him under, but it didn't last long before he came back up, coughing. </p><p>He growled and lunged at her, landing a slash on her arm. It was deep enough for it to immediately bloom with blood, the blood dripping down her arm uncomfortably. She shoved him away, the blue growing brighter. </p><p>He came back at her, slower than he could originally due to the water now being thigh deep. </p><p>She backed away as fast as she could manage, before the blue took over her eye color and there was no trace of brown left. The water around her cleared, and she could run while Edom was reduced to sloshing.</p><p>Suddenly, Bai appeared, about 5 feet ahead of Edom. Her back was to him.</p><p>"Jonda!"</p><p>She looked around. "You're so bloody... what happened? Come here, I'll hel--"</p><p>Edom snatched her by the back of her overalls and she screamed.</p><p>"PUT HER DOWN!" </p><p>Jonda started running towards Edom, but he held the knife up. He was breathing heavily. "Turn them back off or she is gone."</p><p>Jonda held her hands up and started looking for her button again. She felt tears build up in her eyes. When she looked at Bai, tears were dripping down her face. Her eyes turned back to brown.</p><p>She found her button. She took in a shaky breath and was about to press it.</p><p>Until Edom suddenly looked like he was being electrocuted or shocked. He fell, and loosened his grip on his knife.</p><p>Aki took it out of his hand, and blew off her other hand as if it were a gun.</p><p>Aki tossed it to Jonda. </p><p>Edom sat up, completely powerless without positive emotion. The water fell. </p><p>Bai ran to Jonda and Jonda picked her up and spun her around. They laughed, still crying, now out of happiness. Flowers bloomed all over Jonda's wounds due to Bai's touch. </p><p>Aki circled him. "Edom... what did you do to them?"</p><p>"I did nothing to the flower girl," he said angrily. </p><p>"What did you do to Jonda? Why are your hands bloody?"</p><p>"I..."</p><p>Aki glared at him, piercing him with her glare. "What did you do to Jonda."</p><p>"I slashed her arm. That's it. She punched me and attempted to drown me."</p><p>Aki glanced at Jonda. She didn't notice.</p><p>"But you did the most damage, yeah? Wasn't threatening her wife's life a bit traumatic to go through?"</p><p>Edom swallowed.</p><p>"We're taking you home with us and taking you to the detectives. You aren't going to touch us," Aki said, a little louder than she had been.</p><p>Jonda took notice. "Yeah, doing that is something that deserves jail."</p><p>Edom looked between all of them, fear written on his face.</p><p>"I..." He fell silent. He couldn't defend himself. There was nothing to defend.</p><p>Aki pulled him up and took off her coat. She tied his hands behind his back with it, tighter than Jonda's treatment. </p><p>"Let's go home." </p><p>Bai pulled a lever labeled "ditch to get across" and another labeled "door open". A door was cut out of a piece of the wall that was button free.</p><p>They all made it across without a hitch, and began their journey back with an extra passenger.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'd like to clarify that Edom got into the place by using a rare person's hair.  It likely came from a wig or he somehow got Bai's hair.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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